toasters

We bought a Dualit kettle and toaster, in 1997, when we had our kitchen re-fitted. They were vanity buys really, as I just loved their look. The kettle lasted for roughly 14 years, when the plastic switch broke. It was a bad design and should have been stronger considering the cost. We tried to get a new switch to fit ourselves, but were unable to persuade Dualit that we could DIY. The toaster is still going, but I did have to have a new element fitted, I do like it's ticking noise as it times the toast.

After going through a few cheap toasters DH came in with a Dualit two slice one about 25 years ago. At the time I was annoyed he had spent so much just on a kitchen gadget. It's still going strong and is used almost every day. I now wish it would wear out as would like one that takes crumpets or those bags that do toasted sandwiches but it's showing no sign of it.

MarionK, nothing to do with toasters, but that conjures up such a lovely picture. Please say you are wearing a lovely warm dressing gown, fluffy slippers. A huge pot of tea (tea leaves) & your favourite newspaper at your elbow.

Re toasters, we now have a Dualit toaster, not a lot different from our Sainsbury's one and I find lid on the kettle very stiff to open.

I have had both Morphy Richards & Russell Hobbs toasters & been happy with both. I only need a 2 slice toaster & have a small kitchen. Mine have always had a frozen bread option & take thick slices.

I always buy Stainless Steel to match my other appliances

I usually buy the cheapest supermarket toaster - I know, I know, but i really don't care what they look like. If they give up the ghost after five or six years, so what?

I've been trying for years to get a long slot white 2 slice toaster. I want white to match my kettle, hob and microwave. The regular 2 slice toasters are too bulky and I think the long slot ones look much nicer. They seem to be extremely rare or very expensive!

MOOBOX I have a lidl toaster which does 4 slices at once and is nice and wide. It also has a warming option which is a rack that you can raise above the slots. It is very good. I had a tesco one before (£5.00) which lasted 10 years.

I have a £10 Sainsburys own brand one,had it for 6 years it's absolutely fine.My daughter has a fancy 4 slice one she paid £50 for it does exactly the same job, hers is all about matching everything else on the kitchen side, where mine is more practical. If your putting it away in cupboard supermarket ones are just as good.

I use a Dualit 4-slice toaster, which I won in a competition many years ago.

The toaster makes the most marvellous toast and toasts both sides equally. There are no bells and whistles on the toaster, just turn the knob. Toast doesn't pop out or do anything fancy.

It's a well designed and constructed toaster which I would recommend. Though expensive to buy, would definitely buy a Dualit next time.

Cheap or middling (we haven't tried expensive and doubt we will) we have never found one that toast both sides evenly, so now the toaster goes on the table for breakfast, we have a pair of Lakeland's toast tongs and I turn the slices over half way. Sounds like a faff but it is so much part of our routine now we don't think about it, it also deals with the fact that I like light gold, but piping hot toast and my DH like dark toast and doesn't care if it's hot or cold.

I've never got the hang of finding the right setting for the toaster. My microwave has a grill and I prefer to toast bread in that - it takes just as long, and the result is far more even.

We have a 4 slice BOSCH toaster. Reasonably priced and produces great toast. Has a control so you can have it lightly toasted or black if you want it.

We were bought a four slice Dualit toaster as a wedding present in April 1985, it's been used most days and is still going strong!
That was in the days when they were truly 'handmade', I don't think they're of the same quality now though! I may not recommend anyone to buy a modern one as they really don't seem to be as good.
The slots in mine are more than wide enough to accept extra thick bread, and they seem to be taller too, we never have to turn slices over due to height.
It's not looking quite as shiny and beautiful as it once did, but it still makes perfect toast, crunchy on the outside and lovely and fluffy inside!

For me it is the width of the toaster that matters, and many of them look too narrow. I mourn my old Tefal one

I have a Marks & Spencer toaster bought over 6 years ago. It was one of the few on the market that has a button to switch to one slice only and has a tweezer-like gadget for picking up the toast if it is below the top. I have been looking for something similar recently but cannot find a one slice toaster.

I have a dualit toaster, looks nice but it does not justify high price tag. Have to flip slices over halfway or they don't cook evenly. Slots are not wide enough either

I have a Kenwood which has been very reliable. My daughter recommended it - she has one too. I've had mine for over 10 years. Hughes have an offer on a Kenwood KMix - £29.99 instead of £54.99 which may be worth a look. Otherwise I'd go supermarket.

We've a cheap Sainsburys toaster which is still fine after several years. I think it cost about £10. (To be fair, I have to say that it isn't used daily, but is used several times weekly.) If we hadn't liked it, I'd have returned it to Sainsburys as I've always found their "returns" to be a straightforward matter.

Russell Hobbs and Morpy Richards seem OK for branded items but I have found that supermarkets' own toasters and kettles are fine. You can get a perfectly decent toaster for twenty quid.

I now have a Dualit toaster and kettle. Both have given me more trouble than any other that I have had in the past. The toaster doesn't brown both sides evenly and occasionally trips the consumer unit (nothing wrong - we have had it all checked out by an electrician). The kettle will decide all on it's own whether to let the top open or not (so that you can refill it), at it's whim it seems which is really annoying. Also the on/off button is plastic and has cut my finger before now. Certainly not the quality I expected for the money..... I agree that the cheaper brands are probably better - they have nothing to prove and no inflated price to justify the name.

I think unless you can afford/justify buying a really good expensive toaster (I'd go for Dualit purely on the grounds of superb design but am assuming at that price they do good toast too)and go for the cheapest acceptable version that works for your kitchen on the grounds they are not worth repairing and you can replace it (I too hate that attitude but given the cost of repairs...)

I bought a Russell Hobbs and it was quite expensive. It was hopeless, either burning or undercooking the bread. So, I then went to Asda and bought one of their basic toasters. I think it was around £3.50. It also burns or undercooks the bread!I can't win.

My latest toaster does boiled or poached eggs too. It gets a lot of use so I hope it lasts.

I came to the conclusion, years ago, that buying expensive appliances for the kitchen was a waste of money so I bought this one, but in black to match my other appliances. It does a good job.

From what I remember about another thread on kettles and toasters, the consensus appeared to be that the more you spend, the longer they last.